Several nights ago Garrus had been so annoyed he’d even brought it up to Shepard. “Garrus, you know I don’t want anyone but you. I just haven’t had a time to explain that I’m not interested. I’ve been kind of busy, between, you know, curing the genophage and re-releasing the Rachni into the galaxy.” Her brows furrowed and she had said distractedly, “Huh, when you say those two things together it kind of sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Huh.” She looked up at him, eyes just a little far away.
He chuckled, at her. She did that when she was tired and ready to drop asleep at any moment. It was adorable actually. The rest of the time she was so focused, so controlled, even in the midst of a galaxy-wide catastrophe and the never ending bickering of politicians, not to mention the billions upon billions of lives depending on her. He felt selfish suddenly for even bringing it up.
She looked up at him, “No one but you, Garrus.”
“I know, Shepard, I’m not really worried about anything happening. I just, I want to - do anything to let him know you’re mine sometimes.”
She had smiled up at him sleepily and touched his face, “When this is all over we can tell everyone, I promise. I don’t care what the Alliance and the Hierarchy or the Council will say. We can always steal the Normandy and find some deserted, tropical paradise.” She grinned up at him, “Have you seen the war room map lately? There’s going to be a lot of prime real estate available soon.”
He laughed, “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“I can either laugh or I can cry.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “Go to sleep, I’ll let myself out. And forget about what I said.” He dropped his voice and octave and flashed a grin, “I know who you belong to.”
When he got up he could have sworn he heard mumble sleepily, “Speaking of real estate, while I’m on a roll we should go see what Tali needs…”
Back in the present Garrus stewed. The more he thought about what had taken part in front of him earlier, the more, instinctual he became. He’d been working on the shuttle with Cortez, hurriedly trying to get the thing back to 100% before the next mission.
Vegas voice echoed through the hangar, “Yo, Major! What brings you down here?”
“Just picking up a weapon mod, Lieutenant.”
“Esteban keeps them on the workbench to the left.”
“Thanks.”
“Yeah.” Vega paused, “so, I’ve been wondering…”
Their voices had dropped, but Garrus could easily make out the conversation, though he doubted Cortez could, he wasn’t certain. Vega’s voice, in particular, had a habit of making itself heard.
“I hear you and the Commander go way back.”
“yeah, I was with her for Sovereign.”
Vega’s voice dropped a lower. But not low enough.
“I heard that you and her were, ah, real close. Like, you know how she likes her eggs in the morning close.”
Alenko smirked. Garrus could not see his face, but he could just hear the smirk in his voice when he replied, “actually, she doesn’t like eggs.”
Garrus heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh; he could picture Vega slapping Kaidan’s shoulder as he replied, “Ha! I knew it. Esteban owes me 50 credits! I owe you a drink. Or several drinks if I can get you to spill some of the details.”
Kaidan laughed, “Sorry, not sharing any details.” He could hear his footsteps as he left, “I’m just really glad to be, you know back, under her Command again.”
Garrus started when he felt an arm on his hand. He looked over at Steve, “You alright there Garrus?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, just, ah, tired. Why?”
“Just, try to remember that the whole growling thing kind of freaks humans out.”
“Major Alenko, we will be docking at the Citadel in twenty minutes. Commander Shepard insists that all crew members take 6 hours of mandatory shore leave.”
Kaidan sat up from where he’d been lounging in the Starboard Observation deck, several datapads spread out around him. “Mandatory?”
EDI spoke through the intercom system again, “Yes, Major, Shepard insists, as it may be some time before the crew is given shore leave again. All personal are to clear the Normandy until shore leave is over. It will also give me an opportunity to update security protocols.”
“Alright, thank you EDI.”
“You’re welcome Major.”
Kaidan wondered briefly if he could convince Shepard to have dinner with them while there. They really needed to sit down and talk, get things into the open. Ever since he’d returned she’d been distant, and so unlike she had been on the SR1. He assumed their argument on Horizon had a lot do with it, though she’d claimed that it was all in the past. He badly wanted to find some way to try and get back there and to figure out exactly what the two of them had together. But she’d been so busy. It seemed he couldn’t get her alone for a minute.
He stood up and stretched before setting out to find her.
xXxXx
“Officer Vakarian, I’ve instructed the Major to return in six hours’ time, as you instructed. The remainder of the crew has been instructed to return in eight. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Not at this time, but thank you EDI. I appreciate your help in this.”
“I am happy to assist, Officer Vakarian.”
Garrus took a moment to grin and thought, ‘you have to love an unshackled AI that has been encouraged to use its own judgment…'
He chuckled, at her. She did that when she was tired and ready to drop asleep at any moment. It was adorable actually. The rest of the time she was so focused, so controlled, even in the midst of a galaxy-wide catastrophe and the never ending bickering of politicians, not to mention the billions upon billions of lives depending on her. He felt selfish suddenly for even bringing it up.
She looked up at him, “No one but you, Garrus.”
“I know, Shepard, I’m not really worried about anything happening. I just, I want to - do anything to let him know you’re mine sometimes.”
She had smiled up at him sleepily and touched his face, “When this is all over we can tell everyone, I promise. I don’t care what the Alliance and the Hierarchy or the Council will say. We can always steal the Normandy and find some deserted, tropical paradise.” She grinned up at him, “Have you seen the war room map lately? There’s going to be a lot of prime real estate available soon.”
He laughed, “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“I can either laugh or I can cry.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “Go to sleep, I’ll let myself out. And forget about what I said.” He dropped his voice and octave and flashed a grin, “I know who you belong to.”
When he got up he could have sworn he heard mumble sleepily, “Speaking of real estate, while I’m on a roll we should go see what Tali needs…”
Reply
Vegas voice echoed through the hangar, “Yo, Major! What brings you down here?”
“Just picking up a weapon mod, Lieutenant.”
“Esteban keeps them on the workbench to the left.”
“Thanks.”
“Yeah.” Vega paused, “so, I’ve been wondering…”
Their voices had dropped, but Garrus could easily make out the conversation, though he doubted Cortez could, he wasn’t certain. Vega’s voice, in particular, had a habit of making itself heard.
“I hear you and the Commander go way back.”
“yeah, I was with her for Sovereign.”
Vega’s voice dropped a lower. But not low enough.
“I heard that you and her were, ah, real close. Like, you know how she likes her eggs in the morning close.”
Alenko smirked. Garrus could not see his face, but he could just hear the smirk in his voice when he replied, “actually, she doesn’t like eggs.”
Garrus heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh; he could picture Vega slapping Kaidan’s shoulder as he replied, “Ha! I knew it. Esteban owes me 50 credits! I owe you a drink. Or several drinks if I can get you to spill some of the details.”
Kaidan laughed, “Sorry, not sharing any details.” He could hear his footsteps as he left, “I’m just really glad to be, you know back, under her Command again.”
Garrus started when he felt an arm on his hand. He looked over at Steve, “You alright there Garrus?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, just, ah, tired. Why?”
“Just, try to remember that the whole growling thing kind of freaks humans out.”
Reply
Kaidan sat up from where he’d been lounging in the Starboard Observation deck, several datapads spread out around him. “Mandatory?”
EDI spoke through the intercom system again, “Yes, Major, Shepard insists, as it may be some time before the crew is given shore leave again. All personal are to clear the Normandy until shore leave is over. It will also give me an opportunity to update security protocols.”
“Alright, thank you EDI.”
“You’re welcome Major.”
Kaidan wondered briefly if he could convince Shepard to have dinner with them while there. They really needed to sit down and talk, get things into the open. Ever since he’d returned she’d been distant, and so unlike she had been on the SR1. He assumed their argument on Horizon had a lot do with it, though she’d claimed that it was all in the past. He badly wanted to find some way to try and get back there and to figure out exactly what the two of them had together. But she’d been so busy. It seemed he couldn’t get her alone for a minute.
He stood up and stretched before setting out to find her.
xXxXx
“Officer Vakarian, I’ve instructed the Major to return in six hours’ time, as you instructed. The remainder of the crew has been instructed to return in eight. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Not at this time, but thank you EDI. I appreciate your help in this.”
“I am happy to assist, Officer Vakarian.”
Garrus took a moment to grin and thought, ‘you have to love an unshackled AI that has been encouraged to use its own judgment…'
Reply
Leave a comment